Driveway Gravel

[aczlan]

A lot of this is regional I think.

For instance, here in Maine where I live, you get loads measured in cubic yards, so a wheeler (2 rear axle dump truck) will give you 14 cubic yards for $150, but dumped, and not spread. At a conversion of 3000 pounds per cubic yard, that is 24 tons for $150.

BUT...here what we call "gravel" is also a mixture of sand and rock. It might be run through a screen, but it is out of the bank in the pit. I watch TV shows and what they call "gravel", is what we call "crushed rock". it has no sand in it at all, and is right out of the crusher.

Around here, crushed rock is gravel, what you refer to with sand in it is generally called bank run (ie: scoop it out of the bank and into the truck).

Aaron Z

 

[bdog]

A lot of this is regional I think.

For instance, here in Maine where I live, you get loads measured in cubic yards, so a wheeler (2 rear axle dump truck) will give you 14 cubic yards for $150, but dumped, and not spread. At a conversion of 3000 pounds per cubic yard, that is 24 tons for $150.

BUT...here what we call "gravel" is also a mixture of sand and rock. It might be run through a screen, but it is out of the bank in the pit. I watch TV shows and what they call "gravel", is what we call "crushed rock". it has no sand in it at all, and is right out of the crusher.

You are not getting 24 tons in a tandem dump truck. By law they are limited to 54,000 lbs. 34k on the tandem and 20k on the front axle. 24 tons is full load for a belly dump or end dump semi.

 

[bdog]

I have owned two dump trucks a tandem and a SRW and a couple semis. My tandem dump weighed 20k empty. I could only haul about 15 tons of material without being overweight. Physically I could fit 16 yards in the bed but legally not much over 10 yards of gravel.

 

[Peter 315]

You are not getting 24 tons in a tandem dump truck. By law they are limited to 54,000 lbs. 34k on the tandem and 20k on the front axle. 24 tons is full load for a belly dump or end dump semi.

Its different in every state In MA we carry 22 ton on a 10 wheel dump and 24 ton on a tri axle dump...

 

[4570Man]

You are not getting 24 tons in a tandem dump truck. By law they are limited to 54,000 lbs. 34k on the tandem and 20k on the front axle. 24 tons is full load for a belly dump or end dump semi.

Here they’re legal for 74,000 on a tri axel dump.

 

[bdog]

Here they’re legal for 74,000 on a tri axel dump.

Big difference between a tri-axle and a tandem.

 

[oosik]

Whatever - last estimate I got for 6" layer of pit run down my mile long gravel driveway - $34K to $36K. I stayed with what I had. Pit run around here - nothing larger than 2" and it will go all the way down to sand and silt. Screened material is 25% more expensive. These estimates are 20+ years old also.

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

You are not getting 24 tons in a tandem dump truck. By law they are limited to 54,000 lbs. 34k on the tandem and 20k on the front axle. 24 tons is full load for a belly dump or end dump semi.

It varies from state to state on state highways and county roads. Anything federally funded (a US RT or Interstate) is covered by federal laws limiting weight. 34000# on tandem axles, 43000# on tri-axles, 18000# on a steer axle (depending on tire width.) Maximum loads depend on number of axles and overall axle spread. We could get about 12 yards on a 5 axle truck, about 32,000#. They just bought some 7 axle trucks that can haul 24 tons or so. We had a set of belly dumps with 7 axles (counting the tractor) that could gross 105,500 but they were the evception, 8 axles for that weight was more common.

Tailgating was the term we used to not set the spreader chains and just dump gradually while on the move, it would typically spread a box of pitrun 10" thick and 50 or so feet long. For a driveway we would set the chains and spread evenly, usually 3 to four inches thick.

Gravel is usually sold by the ton or by the yard, nearly all I dealt with scaled the truck and gave a scale ticket that had the a the truck company and truck number, the weight in and out and net and a time stamp. Any questions, ask to see the scale ticket.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's an area where the customer often get's taken advantage of. I learned from a really cheap/astute neighbour to climb up and look what they are delivering. Ask questions. Why is the box only half full? Load restrictions? No one bothers telling the customer that he should wait a month and get better loads. The trucking costs the same. Or will it be a semi or tri-axle? Stuff like that.

I ALWAYS specify, that I expect "GOOD" loads.

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

Whatever - last estimate I got for 6" layer of pit run down my mile long gravel driveway - $34K to $36K. I stayed with what I had. Pit run around here - nothing larger than 2" and it will go all the way down to sand and silt. Screened material is 25% more expensive. These estimates are 20+ years old also.

Hopefully at that price it was graded and compacted by a contractor, not just a materials price. Seems way steep to me for materials only.